This document discusses phase change materials (PCMs) and their applications in building construction. PCMs can store and release large amounts of thermal energy during phase transitions, helping to regulate indoor temperatures. There are two main types of PCMs used in buildings - inorganic salt hydrates and organic paraffins/fatty acids. PCMs can be incorporated directly into building materials or microencapsulated. The document examines different methods of PCM incorporation and applications like ceiling tiles. Case studies demonstrate how PCMs allow climate control and reduce energy demands in buildings.

2.  INTRODUCTION
 PRINCIPLE & WORKING
 TYPES OF PCM
 PCM INCORPORATION
 BUILDING APPLICATION
 BIO PCM
 GLASS-X
 MERITS & DEMERITS
 SELECTION CRITERIA
 CASE STUDY
 CONCLUSION
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3. • Modern architecture is attractive, flexible and light weight
• Phase Changing Materials - Interior finishing alternatives
• Stores much larger amount of thermal energy per unit
mass than conventional building materials
• Requires less amount of energy for production
• It can charge and discharge energy in the form of latent
heat
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FIG: PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS

5. • When heat is applied to any substance, it is transferred in
two ways
Sensible heat
Latent heat
• PCMs works on the principle of latent heat
• Latent heat enables PCMs to control room temperature
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6. • PCMs used in construction change from solid to liquid at
23ºC - 26ºC
• They melt, absorb heat from room and room temperature
is kept constant until the change of state is complete
• PCM then returned to solid state by night time ventilation /
mechanical means
• When returned to solid state it emits the heat
• The phase change cycle repeats
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FIG: WORKING OF PCM

8. • There are many types of PCM but not all are suitable for
use in buildings
• The two main types of PCM used in construction are
inorganic salt hydrates and organic paraffin or fatty acids
• Both materials have a set of advantages and disadvantages
that must be taken into consideration
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9. INORGANIC SALT HYDRATES
• Salt hydrates are a low-cost, readily available PCM
• They have a high latent heat storage capacity and high
thermal conductivity
• They are also non-flammable
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10. • Paraffin’s and fatty acids do not expand as they melt, and
freeze without much super cooling
• They are chemically stable, compatible with conventional
construction materials and recyclable
• Paraffin’s are hydrophobic, which means they are water-
repellant
• As a result, their phase-change points are reliable
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11. • Pure paraffin’s are also highly durable, and do not degrade
in contact with oxygen
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FIG: ORGANICS

12. • Impregnated into building materials in 2 ways :
Either directly or as pellets
Microencapsulation
• Microencapsulation most preferred always.
• Night cooling considered as the main difficulty
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FIG : DIRECT USAGE

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• Individual particles of solid/ liquid material are coated with a
continuous film of polymeric material
• Produce capsules called microcapsules
• Microcapsules – small sphere with uniform wall round it
• Micrometer to millimeter range
•Appearance of beads, powder
• Polymer sphere shaped

15. STRUCTURE OF A MICROCAPSULE :
• Material inside is called core
•Wall is called shell or coating
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16. MORPHOLOGY :
• Depends on core material and the deposition process of
the shell
• Basically 3 types :
 Mononuclear
Poly nuclear
Matrix encapsulation
•Also mononuclear with multiple shells, or clusters of
microcapsules
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FIG: TYPES OF MICROCAPSULES

18. PCM AS CEILING MATERIAL
• PCM incorporated into ceiling tiles-effective in controlling
temperature, reducing reliance on air conditioning
BUILDING APPLICATIONS:
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FIG: PCM CEILING

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• Microscopic polymer capsules containing a wax storage
medium, embedded in gypsum and then encased in the
metal tile
FIG: FIXING A PCM CEILING

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• Phase change drywall incorporates PCM within its
structure
• Effective, less costly, and less bulky replacement of the
standard thermal mass (masonry or water) used to store
solar heat

21. BIO PCM:
• A rolled mat that contains PCM
• Integrated into new construction or retrofitted into existing
• Mat is installed between insulation and drywall layers and
located in walls and ceiling
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22. GLASSX
• An insulated glazing unit that can be used as full glass walls
and windows
• It has an outer pane of glass that reflects high-angle sun and
allows low-angle sunlight to pass
• These PCMs store the heat from the sunlight, release the heat
to the interior of the building as the temperature cools
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• Sunlight transmitted through this outer pane of glass passes
through inner polycarbonate channels that are embedded
with salt-hydrate PCMs
FIG: WORKING OF GLASS-X

24. • A melting temperature range in construction is 23°C or
26°C
• A high latent heat of fusion per unit volume minimizes the
area of PCM tiles that are needed
• High thermal conductivity
• Minimal changes in volume
• Congruent melting
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25. SELECTION CRITERIA ( Contd…)
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• A completely reversible freezing/melting cycle
• Durability over a large number of cycles
• Non-corrosiveness to construction materials
• Non-flammability

26.  MERITS
 Freeze without much supercooling
 Ability to melt congruently
 Self nucleating properties
 Compatibility with conventional material of
construction
 No segregation
 Recyclable
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27.  DEMERITS
- Low thermal conductivity in solid state
- Flammable
- Corrosive
- Volumetric latent heat storage capacity is low
- Phase segregation
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• Three semi transparent domes of 18.5, 20, 24m
diameter
• Building has been built in one of the city harbor of
Rotterdam
• Climate is managed in different way in different room
• Exhibition hall temperature is kept about 15 ˚C
• Conference hall temp is maintained about 21˚C
• Temperature is varied with the help of PCM

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FIG: FLOATING BALL OF ROTTERDAM, NETHERLAND

30. CONCLUSION
• Improves thermal comfort levels and obviate or reduce the
need for air-conditioning
• Reduction in peak temperatures is possible
• Used in Residential buildings too
• Significant advantages for both commercial and residential
buildings
• Night ventilation- an integral part
• Likely to become a valuable tool for improving thermal
comfort in domestic buildings
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31. REFFERENCES
 Zubillaga (2007), “Use of microencapsulated PCM in concrete walls for energy
savings. Energy and Buildings”, Vol. 39 pp.113-119.
 I.O. Salyer, A.K. Sircar, R.P. Chartoff, D.E. Miller(1995), “Advanced phase-
change materials for passive solar storage applications”, Proceedings of the
20th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference, Warren dale,
Pennsylvania, USA: 699-709.
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32. THANK YOU
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